The GM grain would not be used for commercial human food or animal feed, the OGTR said in its notice of decision.

A GTR spokeswoman said a human research ethics committee would be required to review and approve the human nutrition trials.

The latest application is the 13th for GM wheat. The first was in 2004.

The OGTG licence approval comes as China moves to restrict research, production and trade in GM products.

According to a draft law released by China’s State Council, “research, experiments, production, sales, imports and exports of the seeds of genetically modified grain should meet relevant national regulations, and no institution or individual should apply genetic modification technology to main grain breeds without authorisation”.